Carnegie Hall last night

CARNEGIE HALL - June, 19th
Sweet Lorraine: A Jazz Celebration For The Village Vanguard

The Bad Plus
Roy Hargrove Quintet
with Guest Soloist Bobby Hutcherson
Paul Motian Trio 2000 + One
with Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier & Rebecca Martin
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
with Guest Soloist Joe Lovano
Dr. Michael White's Original Liberty Jazz Band

Highlights from last night:
*Dr. Michael White's clarinet, olympic champion of glissando and control, and a gipsy rendition of a Second line (never realized how close it sounds, the neworleanian benjo and the sounds of the nomads from Eastern Europe).

*Paul Motian, the most senior of the Vanguard's alumni, always reminding me (don't know why) of Larry David from "Curb your enthusiasm" with stunner Chris Potter (incredible tenor sax). Their set, two flights of free jazz over the cuckoo's nest enclosing a few standards, as in brackets.

*Roy Hargrove Quintet - white sneakers, a flugehorn that for once didn't irritate me, fiery solos on a ritmo caliente latino and ***Bobby Hutcherson and WJ3*** (and myself playing checkers with empty seats to get even closer to the stage and YumYum, who was waving to me from across the hall)

*The Bad Plus. Normally not strictly my favourite. When to many people tell me I have to HAVE TO like something I tend to do the opposite. But I did love "Giant", the way they introduced their first song (This song is called "Mint" and it's in "Perfect condition". Come on, it's funny) and the way the closed the set, a dedication to the Vanguard's Lorraine ("A lot of people say, oh The Bad Plus, it's not real jazz. Well, Lorraine gave us our first break and I guess if it's good enough for Lorraine then... IT'S JAZZ")